Although I am not mad about Storace (whereas the anti-smoke law is sufficient reason to worship even a non-descript guy such as Sirchia) I did take offence hearing the allegations by Nestle' president that Storace would have been involved in a dumping operation of the polluted milk on the Italian market -- not only illegal, but also morally contemptible, given the end users of the product, our kids. The Nestle' cretin called back his allegation in 24 hours (see Corriere today 25/11); but the vulnus remains, and I think it suggests something sadly interesting.

For, is it reasonable at all that a high officier of a multinational company may accuse of something of the sort, without the faintest trace of proof, a minister of an european nation which, after all, is rather civilized and advanced (besides, bordering his own country) ? It becomes plausible if you consider how the Italian image is promoted abroad by the majority of our intelligentsia - which by and large is regretfully politically correct, radical-chic, and occasionaly "nazi-festosa" (refers to the parodic name Nazifesto given to the italian paper Manifesto).

A major example is the marvelous Beppe Grillo, who bought (with funding from his entourage of worshippers) a page on the Herald Tribune to list the 23 italian congressmen who have been convicted in court. You need not be as smart as D'Alema (president of D.S.), let's say (pun on D'A. usual interjection 'diciamo'), to see the damage done to Italy's perception by the international public (i.e. we look like a Banana republic). Thus, anything can be said about "this Berlusconian" Italy, and anything can be attributed to it -- you can always call that back later (may be on page 43 in a side column). There are tens of examples, both in the primary sources, and even more so in the indirect accounts by the italian media: say the marks by Standard&Poors on economy, or those, yesterday, by the Economist (see again il Corriere today). About the latter, one may add that (as Christian Rocca once said, if I am not mistaken) iit is great for the anglo-saxon world, but it flunks most of the times when it comes to Italy. Which is unsurprising, come to think of it. A well known Economist envoyee in Italy Tana de Zulueta, later (and still today) left-wing congresswoman.

Orgogliosamente

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